Today's News

Members of the community congregated last Saturday evening at Mt. Zion Holiness Church of God on Calloway Street in Galax to celebrate Black History Month and hold a time of reflection to honor the many achievements of African-American society throughout the nation’s history.

Dionne Tucker opened the Feb. 17 event with an inspirational celebration of religious and cultural background, expressed in song and dance by the Daughters of Zion. She described it as “something one may have been likely to hear during the slave era dating up to the Civil War.”

A routine stop for a traffic violation in Galax this weekend resulted in the arrest of a man wanted for a 2017 homicide in Mexico.

On Feb. 17, Officer Tyler Houk stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on Stuart Drive, shortly after 9:50 p.m., according to a Galax Police Department report.

The operator could not produce a valid Virginia operator's license, the report said. After a check of the Virginia DMV data base, police determined that Joel Miguel Miguel, 38, was driving on a suspended license.

WYTHEVILLE – A man is facing multiple charges following an incident Feb. 15 on the campus of Wytheville Community College.

According to a Virginia State Police report, Alexander E. Dunford, 21, of Wytheville, threatened a male and female with a handgun in a campus parking lot that night. Dunford allegedly pointed the handgun at the couple and “dry fired” it, police said, meaning it was fired without ammunition.

Four localities will hold council elections in May, and the deadline to register is approaching.

In Galax, four council seats are up for election on May 1.

As of Feb. 16, candidates who had completed paperwork to run included incumbents C.M. Mitchell, Willie Greene and John Garner; while newcomer Travis Haynes is in the process of qualifying. At least one more candidate, Sharon Ritchie, is collecting signatures with the intention of filing.

RICHMOND – It may not offer the drama of “House of Cards,” but an initiative at the Virginia Capitol is lifting the curtain on the workings of the General Assembly.

In January, the House and Senate started live-streaming and archiving videos of committee hearings. On a computer or cellphone, Virginians can now watch – from the comfort of their homes or offices – what used to require a trip to the Capitol.

HILLSVILLE – At its second meeting to discuss the operating budget for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year, the Carroll County School Board heard a report on how education is linked to economic development.

The chances that Virginia will join 32 other states in expanding Medicaid improved slightly last week, when on key Republican legislator endorsed the plan, which most GOP lawmakers have opposed.

“We have to step up, we can’t be the party of ‘no.’” said Del. Terry Kilgore, adding that at least 15 Republicans in the House of Delegates will likely vote with him on the issue, according to an Associated Press report.